Famous Affinities of History — Volume 1 eBook

Then, too, the story of Leicester’s marriage
with Amy Robsart is something more than a myth, based
upon an obscure legend and an ancient ballad.
The earl had had such a wife, and there were sinister
stories about the manner of her death. But it
is Scott who invents the villainous Varney and the
bulldog Anthony Foster; just as he brought the whole
episode into the foreground and made it occur at a
period much later than was historically true.
Still, Scott felt—­and he was imbued with
the spirit and knowledge of that time—­a
strong conviction that Elizabeth loved Leicester as
she really loved no one else.

There is one interesting fact which goes far to convince
us. Just as her father was, in a way, polygamous,
so Elizabeth was even more truly polyandrous.
It was inevitable that she should surround herself
with attractive men, whose love-locks she would caress
and whose flatteries she would greedily accept.
To the outward eye there was very little difference
in her treatment of the handsome and daring nobles
of her court; yet a historian of her time makes one
very shrewd remark when he says: “To every
one she gave some power at times—­to all
save Leicester.”

Cecil and Walsingham in counsel and Essex and Raleigh
in the field might have their own way at times, and
even share the sovereign’s power, but to Leicester
she intrusted no high commands and no important mission.
Why so? Simply because she loved him more than
any of the rest; and, knowing this, she knew that if
besides her love she granted him any measure of control
or power, then she would be but half a queen and would
be led either to marry him or else to let him sway
her as he would.

For the reason given, one may say with confidence
that, while Elizabeth’s light loves were fleeting,
she gave a deep affection to this handsome, bold,
and brilliant Englishman and cherished him in a far
different way from any of the others. This was
as near as she ever came to marriage, and it was this
love at least which makes Shakespeare’s famous
line as false as it is beautiful, when he describes
“the imperial votaress” as passing by “in
maiden meditation, fancy free.”

MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS AND LORD BOTHWELL

Mary Stuart and Cleopatra are the two women who have
most attracted the fancy of poets, dramatists, novelists,
and painters, from their own time down to the present
day.

In some respects there is a certain likeness in their
careers. Each was queen of a nation whose affairs
were entangled with those of a much greater one.
Each sought for her own ideal of love until she found
it. Each won that love recklessly, almost madly.
Each, in its attainment, fell from power and fortune.
Each died before her natural life was ended.
One caused the man she loved to cast away the sovereignty
of a mighty state. The other lost her own crown
in order that she might achieve the whole desire of
her heart.